Digging beyond the census entries

Yes, fall is in high gear; I can tell by how crunchy my driveway is due to falling acorns. Bad news for the rollerbladers in the family, great news for the squirrels. Let’s see what fell out of the trees this week, shall we?

Placing photos: For Mac users, here’s a clearly written tutorial on how to use the iPhoto “Places” functionality to tag photos with location maps, an organizational tool that can be useful to genealogists organizing their files. I do think it’s wise to think twice before posting/sharing location tags if they involve private residences, but for schools, churches and cemeteries it’s a great tool, built right into iPhoto ’09.

DNA tools: Last week, genetic genealogy firm GeneTree announced two new services. The first is DNA Makeover, in which the firm will take results from outside labs, translate them into their own profile format and link up to database results to search for possible relatives. The other is Family Tree Diagnostic Service, a consulting option in which a staffer can review a family tree and suggest which of its members are the best candidates for DNA testing. I suspect you could read up on this topic and figure out for yourself whom to test, but for the time-strapped, it could be useful.

Kingly matters: I know, I know, genealogy is much, much more than figuring out how many presidents you’re related to. But the Discover magazine blog took an interesting tack on what elite DNA can tell us , since it often involves subtypes that are rare or previously undocumented.

Look it up: Colorado columnist Julie Miller reminds us that the right dictionary can save a genealogist from many a headache — and she includes a fantastic list of suggestions for everyone’s dictionary library — from medical terminology to nicknames.

Searchlight: Of interest to those researching in the Detroit metro area, according to Examiner.com: Oakland County announced a new genealogy search function on its redesigned website. Currently records go back to 1941, but older records will be added over time, the county clerk says.

Virtual compatibility: Wrapping it up with the “awwww-factor,” there is a charming item out of Pittston, Pa., in which a local collector of Victoriana (and actress in historical re-enactments) became intrigued by a cemetery-photography website — an interest that eventually encompassed its owner, who was working on a book of 19th- and early 20th-century gravestone photographs. Romance blossomed via Facebook for the happy couple. All together now: Awwww.

Now go pick some apples. Or sweep up some acorns.

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